Writing - part x565, Developing Skills, Marketing Materials, Another Publisher’s Info

25 July 2018, Writing - part x565, Developing Skills, Marketing Materials, Another Publisher’s Info  

Announcement: Delay, my new novels can be seen on the internet, but my primary publisher has gone out of business—they couldn’t succeed in the past business and publishing environment.  I'll keep you informed, but I need a new publisher.  More information can be found at www.ancientlight.com.  Check out my novels--I think you'll really enjoy them.

Introduction: I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. This was my 21st novel and through this blog, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel beginning with http://www.pilotlion.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-novel-part-3-girl-and-demon.html.

I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I'll keep you informed along the way.

Today's Blog: To see the steps in the publication process, visit my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

The four plus one basic rules I employ when writing:

1. Don't confuse your readers.

2. Entertain your readers.

3. Ground your readers in the writing.

4. Don't show (or tell) everything.

     4a. Show what can be seen, heard, felt, smelled, and tasted on the stage of the novel.

5. Immerse yourself in the world of your writing.

These are the steps I use to write a novel including the five discrete parts of a novel:

1.      Design the initial scene

2.      Develop a theme statement (initial setting, protagonist, protagonist’s helper or antagonist, action statement)

a.       Research as required

b.      Develop the initial setting

c.       Develop the characters

d.      Identify the telic flaw (internal and external)

3.      Write the initial scene (identify the output: implied setting, implied characters, implied action movement)

4.      Write the next scene(s) to the climax (rising action)

5.      Write the climax scene

6.      Write the falling action scene(s)

7.      Write the dénouement scene

I finished writing my 29^th novel, working title, Detective, potential title Blue Rose: Enchantment and the Detective.  The theme statement is: Lady Azure Rose Wishart, the Chancellor of the Fae, supernatural detective, and all around dangerous girl, finds love, solves cases, breaks heads, and plays golf.  

Here is the cover proposal for Blue Rose: Enchantment and the Detective. 

Cover Proposal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene, but eventually, you have to move to the rising action. I am continuing to write on my 30^th novel, working title Red Sonja.  I finished my 29^th novel, working title Detective.  I’m planning to start on number 31, working title Shifter. 

How to begin a novel.  Number one thought, we need an entertaining idea.  I usually encapsulate such an idea with a theme statement.  Since I’m writing a new novel, we need a new theme statement.  Here is an initial cut.

For novel 30:  Red Sonja, a Soviet spy, infiltrates the X-plane programs at Edwards AFB as a test pilot’s administrative clerk, learns about freedom, and is redeemed.

For novel 31:  TBD 

Here is the scene development outline:

1. Scene input (comes from the previous scene output or is an initial scene)

2. Write the scene setting (place, time, stuff, and characters)

3. Imagine the output, creative elements, plot, telic flaw resolution (climax) and develop the tension and release.

4. Write the scene using the output and creative elements to build the tension.

5. Write the release

6. Write the kicker

          

Today:  Time again to look at marketing materials.  I just finished a new novel—actually, I finished it a few weeks ago, but I’ve been working on the marketing materials.  I always develop the specific materials first, then the condensed materials for my currently defunct publisher, and then the cover.  You can see above, I made a proposed cover. I put this information on the internet at www.LumiereNovel.com. 

Here is my proposed cover:

Cover Proposal

Marketing materials are a must.  I’ll be straight up with you.  I know most people have not completed their novels.  Some of you might have.  You might be still working on your editing and proofing.  You might be still perfecting your novel.  All of that is important, but none of it matters if you don’t have a plan for marketing your work.  Marketing means you have some plan and know what a publisher might want to know about you and your work.  I gave you a format with examples from my own novel.  I showed you the “long form” and the “short form.”

Just to prove the applicability of this marketing information, I’ll also include the info requested by my last publisher.  This was on their website and also what they sent to every prospective author.  This is the information for my novel Blue Rose: Enchantment and the Detective.

Information needed for manuscripts submitted to OakTara

Date:  15 April 2018

Name:  L. D. Alford

Address:  xxx X. XXXXXX

City, State/Province, Country, Zip/Postal Code:  Wichita, KS  67206

Home and/or Work Phone (only in case needed):   (xxx) xxx-xxxx

Email address:  pilotlion@aol.com

* Your personal information is considered confidential and for Oaktara’s purposes only. It will not be distributed or sold to any third party.

Working Manuscript Title:  Blue Rose: Enchantment and the Detective

Genre:  Fantasy Mystery

* e.g., allegory, biblical, contemporary, fantasy, futuristic, historical, mystery/suspense, romance, or science fiction

Plot Summary/Marketing Hook:

* 200 words or less. Here’s your chance to “sell” a reader on the plot of your book!

Lady Azure Rose Wishart lost her estate but not her title.  She could be on the parishes’ charity list except she has a scholarship to Wycombe and the Crown pays for her other work.  To reacquire her estate and make her way in the world, Azure works as a supernatural detective.

An accident of occasion and invitation brought Azure into the sights of the dashing Wing Commander Lachlann Calloway.  He immediately fell in love with her.  Azure doesn’t have time for a boyfriend, and she does everything in her power to discourage him. 

Instead of being discouraged, Lachlann gloms on to her like a social leech, and Azure isn’t used to these types of entanglements.  Lachlann tries to entice Azure to love.  She works to be rid of Lachlann Calloway.  Lachlann’s mother wants Lachlann to dump the unwilling Azure.  Meanwhile, Azure, through New Scotland Yard, has uncovered a truly supernatural mystery.

With Lachlann’s help and encouragement, Azure moves to solve this mystery.  Will Lachlann’s love prevail?  Will Azure win her estate?  Will the truly supernatural mystery be solved?  The real question is will Lachlann’s mother ever resolve herself to a potential daughter-in-law who is, in her own words, despicable?

Author bio:

* 200 words or less. Please include any previous publishing experience (title and publisher); professional credits (degrees, schooling, etc.); any personal experience that relates to plot/characters of this book; and your reason for writing this book. In addition, please let us know if you're planning any sequels of other titles in a series.

The finest escape in literature is an escape into a real and inviting culture—so asserts L. D. Alford a novelist who explores with originality those cultures and societies we think we already know.  He builds tales that make ancient people and times real to us.  His stories uniquely explore the connections between events close and familiar and events of the past—he cleaves them together with threads of reality that bring the past alive.  L. D. Alford is familiar with technology and cultures—he earned a B.S. in Chemistry from Pacific Lutheran University, an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Boston University, and a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Dayton. He is a graduate of Air War College, Air Command and Staff College, and the US Air Force Test Pilot School.  His writing includes over 40 technical articles; three historical fiction novels The Second Mission published by Xulon, Centurion and Aegypt published by Oaktara; Ancient Light published by Broadstreet and OakTara; and a science fiction series The Chronicles of the Dragon and the Fox published by Oaktara.  L. D. Alford is an author who combines intimate scientific and cultural knowledge into fiction worlds that breathe reality.

Didn’t I tell you—this is the information a publisher wants to see.  Each publisher is a little different, but their approach is broadly the same.  This publisher liked 200 word synopses and 200 word bios.  To get there, you need to cut down your synopsis to fit.  I’m not sure I can help you there without actually comparing the two synopses, but here goes.

To cut down anything:

1.       Get rid of anything not directly related to the plot or protagonist.

This isn’t as difficult as it might seem.  You focus the synopsis on the protagonist, the protagonist’s helper, and the antagonist.  You blend in the telic flaw (basically the plot as related to the protagonist and the resolution of the novel).  You express the excitement and entertainment of the novel and leave the reader hanging with a desire to read your novel. 

To cut down a synopsis, you need to focus directly on the protagonist and the telic flaw.  This will highlight the plot and the main character.  So go through your loner synopsis and cut out everything that isn’t pertinent to the protagonist and the plot.  Cut, cut, cut.

2.      Tighten up the sentences and only include necessary adjectives. 

Yeah, you have to sanitize the adjectives.  If you can, replace them with figures of speech, but sometimes that won’t reduce the word count much.  In any case, get rid of every unnecessary word until you get down to the required number of words, but even that might not be enough.

3.      Reduce the use of direct address, and consolidate sentences.

This is when you really are getting to the very end.  If you can turn an Azure and Lachlann into a they, you saved two words.  If you can consolidate two sentences, you might save a few words.  You might clear out an and, but, or yet by using an em dash (double hyphen—don’t use the semicolon). 

This is getting to the bitter end, and I’ve been there before.  I’m getting better and better at cutting these down, but I practice.  I did mention that I develop all these marketing materials and this information for every one of my completed novels.  Since I’ve written thirty novels, I’ve done this much more than thirty times.  My point is that the more you practice writing and cutting a synopsis, the better you will get at it. 

Plus, let me point out something else—this is about teaching and learning.  I guess that’s a great topic for the next day.       

More tomorrow.

For more information, you can visit my author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites:

http://www.ancientlight.com/
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/
http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com  

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